Vending-machine.



MQ. 731,593. PATENTBD JUNE z3, 190s..

c. M. MITCHELL.

VENDING MACHINE.

' APPLICATION FILED PEB. 5, 1902.

N0 MODEL. 5 SHEETS-SHEET' I.

` mhh/mug V m MW Chaim/JM :24W/f y, M f

No. 731,593. PATBNTED 11111323, 1903.

C. M. MITCHELL.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED rma. 5. 1902.

No norm.` 5lsHnnTs-s1uzm 2.

No. 731,593.' PATENTED JUNE 23, 190s.

' c. M. MITGHBLL.

VENDING MACHINE. APPLIUATION Hmm un. 5. 1902.

v: Norms mms co More I nwo msnmmon PATENTBD JUNE 23, `1903.

c. M. MITCHELL.

N0 MODEL.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

l// .Q U\ M\ M\ M V/ V/////////////// No. 731,593. PATEN'I'ED JUNE 23,1903.v

c. M. MITCHELL. VBNDING MACHINE. APJeLr-fm.''rmt4 FILED rma. 5. 1902.

N0 IQ'DEL.. 5 SHEETS-'SHEET 5.

' Patented June 23, 1903. PATENT 0EErcE. i i .l l

CHARLES M. MITCHELL, oF oHAT'rANoocA, TENNESSEE.

vi-:pNolNGfflvlAci-HN.

i" SBEQIEICAEION rqrming part of Letters ratent no.v 731,593, dated June ae, 1903.

Application filed February 5, 190,2 Serial No. 92 ,661. (No in odeL" l i i Toca-ZZ whom, it mayconcern/,2` Bezit known that I, lCHAELESM. MITCHELL,

` a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing at Chatand I doherebytdeclare the followingto bea` full, clear, andV exactdescription of the invenf tanooga, in the countyof 'Hamilton and State of Tennessee, haveinventedcer'tain new and usefulImprovements in `Vending- Machines tion, such asA will enableothers skilledintlie art to which it appertains to make and use the saine;

`My invention relates to what are termed vending-machines, particularly that class whereinthe mechanism is tripped or released by dropping or passing acoin thereinto.

u It has forits object, among other things,lto provide for the release' ordelivery of articles or packages from a number or plurality of chambers by a common actuating lever throughLacommonchute; also,'to,effectnally involve or lock the mechanism as against unauthorized or surreptitious actuatin and to greatly simplify the construction and opera-` tion of the parts, consequently lessening the` cost of manufacture thereof.

It consists of the combinationand arrangement of parts, substantially-.ashereinafter more fully disclosed, and specifically pointed `out by the claims. ,i

' In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the preferred embodiment of `my invention;

Figure lis afrontvievv.` Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line c a: ofFig. l, with the actuating-lever drawniforward for releasing ordelivering a package or article from a lat- Fig. 3 is a similar seclever in an inoperative position. Fig. 4 is also alike section on the line a a' of Fig. l. Fig. `is'a vertical section on the line ww of Fignl, the actuating-lever beingdrawn for- `ward to release or deliver the package or article from the central `package chamber i or coin-dropping slide or lever.

`It will be understood that latitud-e `is allowed herein as to details, particularly as relates to the number of package releasing or delivery devices and the number of package` i holders, as convenience may suggest, Withitself subdivided into a number or plurality Vof package receiving or containing compartments or subchambers 1b; also, astorage-compartment l, arranged in rear of the Vlast named. Said compartments or subchambers fare arranged all side by side and face the operator and preferably have a common transparentor glass sliding front ld to permit the ready viewing of the contents of said com- `partmentsandreplenishing ofthesame.. Said transparent front or slide mayhave applied Qthereto upon its outer side or surface cleats lor strips ldd as an improvised means of concealing the partitions in rear of said front or slide and between the subchambers or compartments lb from sight. In the top of the receptacle l are preferably rectangular or oblong slots or openings 1X, registering with thc lcompartments or subchambers l, the cen tral slot or opening having, preferably, a corresponding down Wardly-extending short tube lXX, the purpose of which Will be presently apparent. i

A number or plurality of preferably metallic plates or supports 2 are suitably secured in place, preferably as shownppendant-bars 2a, integral with rearwardly and forwardly extended arms 2b, integral with said plates, being secured by lower end flanges andsuitable fastenings to the bottom ,of the reccptacle l. Said plates have in their forward end portions slots or openings 2b, also are provided with` lateral flanges 2C, the lateral iones of said plates or supports being arranged, preferably, in a lower plane than the central one, for a purpose presently seen. Slides or carriers 3, also having in their forward ends oblong openings or slots 3X, are arranged one above each of the plates or supports 2 and guided thereon as against lateral displacement by the iianges 2C. Said carriers or slides are provided with forwardly and rearwardly extended arms 3m, preferably cylindric in cross-section, passing through holes in upward extensions .21 of the pendants 2a and ings 2bb of the lateral plates 2 are fixed suitably to the sides of the closure 1 chutes or tubes 4, while the tube or chute lxx, secured to the top of this receptacle, stands directly above and in line with the opening or slot 2b ofthe central plate or snpport2. These tubes or chutes are sufficiently elevated from said plates or supports to permit the reception therebetween of'the slides or carriers 3 3a.

A coin-receiving tube or trough 5, communicating with a slot or opening 5 in the front of the receptacle l, extends a suitable dis.

tance rearwardly in said receptacle and delivers into a laterally-tilting holder or hopper itself adapted to deliver or discharge into an opening or slot 7 in the top of the coin or money drawer 8, arranged below in that end of the said receptacle. Said coin-hopper is pivotally or tiltingly hung or supported in position directly under and at the delivery end of the trough 5, it having, preferably, an integral arm or lever 8X extending laterally therefrom and pivoted or fulcrumed a short distance from said hopper upon or in a post or support i), fixed tothe receptacle-bottom. Said lever or arm carries a rearwardly-extending pin or projection 8a, the function of whichV will appear later. The lever or arm SX has near its free end a lateral shoulder or stop 9b, adapted to engage the edge of one of the bars of the central plate 2 to limit the upward movement of said lever, as presently seen.

A hand-actuated lever or shaft l() extends through and is partly supported in the receptacle-front and provided outside of said receptacle-front with a suitable handle 10 and a lateral pointer or finger 10b, adapted to register with indicia on said receptacle. Said lever or shaft is also supported in position, as will later appear, and preferably is produced in sections, the handled section being suitably connected at its inner end, preferably to a frame or loop section 10c. Said loop or frame section has projecting centrally from its opposite side a cylindric portion or extensioulOcC, in turn having suitably connected thereto a third section 10d, bearing and sliding in an aperture of the pendant-bar supporting that end of the central plate or support 2. Said cylindricextension 10cc is provided with an annularor circular cam-groove ll, the purpose of'which will be presently disclosed. Said shaft or lever section 10d carries at its extreme rear end an arm or supplemental lever 10e of a length adapted to enable it to compass or engage either of the lateral slides or carriers 3, as will be more fully understood later, as Well as engage the central slide or carrier 3. Said arm or supplemental lever 10e has at a point in alinement with the pin or projection 23a of the coinhopper arm 8X an aperture Saa, as shown in Fig. 3, which pin and aperture are required to register in order to provide for the actuation of the package releasing or delivering mechanism, which will be described farther on. Said arm also preferably has a bend 10f therein with its convexity or salient portion presented rearwardly. The central slide or carrier 3a`has preferably a pendant l0g at its rear end for engagement with the arm or supplemental lever lOe in effecting the actuation of the central package releasing or delivery mechanism, as presently seen. The lateral movement or throw of the shaft-arm 10E is limited by suitable stops l0, -which may be screw-threaded projections screwed into the rear supports of the plates 2. A. guide or grooved casting lla, suitably secured to the receptacle-bottom, with the groove therein ared at its entrance or rear end, is so arranged below said supplemental arm or lever that when said arm is disposed by suitably manipulating the shaft l0 vertically and a little rearwardly of said guide and then sliding the shaft l0 forwardly said arm will enter at its lower end said grooved guide and its aperture SXX be thus lheld in true alinement with the pin or projection 8a during such forward movement of said shaft. A springlOi, suitably applied to the shaft or lever 10, automatically returns it to its normal position after having been actuated.

A coin-releasing slide or lever l2, adapted normally to occupy a position erossw'ise of the throat of the hopper 6 and suitably fulcruined upon a post or support l2, secured to the,receptacle-bottom, is bifurcated at one end and has inward projections or studs upon the free ends of the branches of its bifurcated Aportion engaging the annular cam-groove l1 of the shaft lO.

A coin or nickel placed in the slot 5a will upon reaching the delivery end of the tube or trough e drop into the hopper 6 and tiltit, so as to move the lever or arm 8X upwardly, accordingly carrying with it the pin S to a predetermined point or height. The purchaser or operator desiring, say, to obtain a package from the central containing compartment or holder, he accordingly turns the shaft or lever lO to cause its pointer to indicate that fact, in this instance said pointer then coming opposite the word Oxfords, placed upon the receptacle-front. He next pulls said shaft or lever forwardly, when the lower end of the arm l0e slides in the grooved vcasting or guide ll, and the pin or projection Sa being allowed toenter the aperture SXX of said arm the last-namedwill engage the pendant l()g of the central slide or carrier 3a, and thus carry it forward. The slot or opening in said carrier will register with the,

IOO

tog

IIO

lower open end of the corresponding or central package containing compartment, receive a package therefrom ,and drop it through the registering slot or opening inthe plate below, said package passing downwardly via the common chute 13 into the bottom chamber of the receptacle 1,whence it is readily acl cessible to the purchaser or operator through an opening in said receptacle-front. Simultaneously with the forward movement of the shaftorleverlOthecoin-releasingslide orlever 12 willbeactuated,so that the coin temporarily held in the hopper 6 will be released and deposited in the money till or drawer below, the locking pin or projection 8 thus being free as soon as the shaft or lever 10 is released to `automatically fall or return to its former po- `ing with the words Ladies or Gentlemens, also inscribed on the receptacle-front, as may be desired. Said shaft or lever is next, as aforesaid, drawn forward, when its arm lOe will pass under or by the pin 8a and accordingly be permitted to engage and move forwardly the alining slide or carrier 2 and effect the discharge or delivery ofv the desired package. The release and return of the locking-pin 8fL to its former lowered position will take place upon the lever or shaft 10 reaching the endv of its return movement, as recited in connection with the abovenamed movement of parts.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a machine of the character described, the combination of aslotted support, a slotted carrier adapted to slide upon said support, a tilting coin-hopper having an arm provided with a pin or projection, a longitudinally and axially movable shaft carrying an arm adapted to receive said pin or projection, and

means for actuating said hopper, substantially as set forth.

2. In a machine of the'character described,

p the combination of a slotted support, a slotted carrier adapted to slide upon said support, and having a pendant at one end, an endwisemovable and rotatable shaft, carrying an arm adapted to engage said pendant, a tilting hopper having attached thereto a lever provided withpin, said arm having an aperture for the reception of said pin, and means for actuating said hopper, substantially as set forth.

3. In a machine of the character described, the combination of slotted supporta slotted carriers adapted to slide upon said supports, an endwise-movable and rotatable shaft carrying an arm at one end, a tilting or pivoted hopper having a lever provided with a pin or projection, and means for actuating said hopper to cause said last-named lever to carry said pin out of the plane of the movement of said arm as said shaft is actuated, substantially as set forth. Y

4. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a slotted support, a slotted carrier adapted to slide upon said support, an endwise-movable and rotatable shaft carrying an arm, a tilting hopper having attached thereto a lever carrying a pin adapted to enter an aperture in said arm, and a coin- `dropping slide or lever adapted to engage a groove in said shaft, and means for actuating said hopper, substantially as set forth.

5. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a slotted support, a slotted carrier adapted to slide upon said support, an endwise-movable `and rotatable shaft carrying an arm, a tilting hopper havingI attached thereto a lever carrying a pin adapted to enter an aperture in said arm, and a coin- `dropping slide or lever adapted to engage a groove in said shaft, means for actuating said hopper, and a guide to receive the lower end of said arm, substantially as set forth.

6. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a slotted support, a slotted carrier adapted to slide upon said support, an endwise-movable and rotatable shaft carrying an arm, a tilting hopper having attached IOO thereto a lever carrying a pin adapted to` i enter an aperture in said arm, and a coindropping slide or lever adapted to engage a groove in said shaft, means for actuating said hopper, and a guide to receive the lower end of said arm, said hopper-actuated lever having a lateral shoulder or stop adapted to limit its upward movement.

'7. In a machine of the character described,

the combination of a slotted support, a slotted carrier adapted to slide upon said support, a tilting coin-hopper having an arm provided with a pin or projection, a longitudinally and axially movable shaft having an arm adapted to receive said pin, means for actuating said hopper, a series or plurality of article-receiving compartments, a delivery chute or compartment, and means for actuating said shaft, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES M. MITCHELL. Witnesses:

E. LANDREss, GEO. GARDENHIRE.

IIO 

